Building work is to begin on St Albans cathedral next week.

The transformation project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and 1,000 donors, will see a new welcome centre come to the cathedral as well as the renovation of the Chapter House so it can be a space adapted for education and library services.

The new capacity will mean visitor number will increase at the church, meaning entry can remain free and that preservation costs can be covered.

Reverend Canon Kevin Walton said: “It has taken a huge amount of time and effort to get to this point, with massive public support, for which we are extremely grateful.

"Seeing the building works begin is an exciting prospect, but we also know there will be inconveniences on the way, which we will try our best to keep to a minimum and make sure we keep people informed.”

During the renovations there will be changes to access around the building, with the footpath between the Abbey Orchard and Sumpter Yard closed from May 30 until in autumn 2018, which is deemed the safest option for the public.

An alternative route is in place around the north Churchyard which will remain open 24 hours a day for the duration of the works.